Tag Archives: Medical scholarship

Since the first graduation in 2005, over 28,500 medical students from 103 countries have studied and graduated, completely free of charge, from ELAM

The Latin American School of Medicine. Photo: Cubadebate

An initiative launched by Fidel

One hundred and seventy medical students from the U.S. have graduated in Cuba, thanks to the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM), an initiative launched by Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro.

Speaking exclusively to the Cuban News Agency (ACN) Zenia Díaz Catalá, director of the ELAM project general secretariat, noted that since the first graduation in 2005, to date, over 28,500 medical students from 103 countries have studied and graduated, completely free of charge, from ELAM.

Dr. David Floyd from the U.S. graduated from the school in 2017, and expressed his gratitude to the Cuban government, people, and teachers and workers affiliated with this noble project, which also stands as an example of how integration among communities from around the world can contribute to creating a more humane world.

An incredible experience

It’s been an incredible experience for me. I’m impressed by the link between theoretical and practical study, which is different from the U.S. system and that of other countries, noted the young doctor.

In Cuba you learn by touching the patient, and solidarity is really important. In my country, students don’t help each other; here both the students and professors support one another and are extremely professional, stated Floyd, an African American man who studied on the island for six years, including pre-med courses.

The young doctor completed his degree at the Salvador Allende Faculty of Havana’s University of Medical Sciences, which saw a total of 52 international students graduate this year – 25 from the United States, according to the institution’s dean, Dr. Suiberto Echavarría, speaking with ACN.

Eternal gratitude for the opportunity

David Floyd senior, father of the recent medical graduate, expressed his joy, pride and eternal gratitude for the opportunity his son has been given to study medicine in Cuba, where the training system is centered on humanist ethics and principles.

Meanwhile, Díaz Catalá noted that the ELAM program currently includes 4,690 students from 112 nations enrolled in 21 of the country’s medical sciences universities, 83 of whom are from the United States.

A total of 52 students from the People’s Republic of China, 51 in medicine and one in nursing, received on Wednesday at the Main Lecture Hall of the University of Havana their certificates as graduates from the capital’s University of Medical Sciences.

Fang Jun, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Higher Education Ministry of the People’s Republic of China, confessed he was happy to be part of this training course of new health professionals, “for which, he said, the Cuban government has used a lot of material resources and some of its best professors.

Fidel

He also congratulated graduates, thanked Cuban universities and its education system, its officials, and the historic leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, for this cooperation, and highlighted the good reception given by China to previous graduates.

The scholarship program began in 2006 following a decision by the leaders of both nations. It has great scientific, political and social value for contributing to the formation of 3,417 young people from the People’s Republic of China and was created on the initiative of Fidel Castro, aimed at training and preparing students.

Up to last year, a total of 556 Jamaican students had graduated from Cuban universities.

One year ago, in July, 2014, 23 Jamaican students graduated from Cuban Universities: 15 students from Medical Sciences, 2 from Physical Education and Sports, 5 from specialties of the Ministry of Higher Education and 1 from the Ministry of Education

Speech by Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, Bernardo Guanche Hernández, at the ceremony for the official presentation of the Medical Scholarships.

On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba, I’d like to welcome you all to this ceremony for the official presentation of Medical Scholarships to Jamaican youngsters who will soon be travelling to Cuba to study Medicine, free of charge.

Today, we give a special welcome to the eight young Jamaicans who have been awarded those scholarships to study in Cuba.

Also, we would like to take this opportunity to give special welcome to a young, daughter of Cuban resident in Jamaican, who has been awarded too with one scholarship to study Medicine in our country. Every year, Cuba grants some scholarships to students who are descendents of Cuban who live abroad. Jamaica was awarded in this opportunity and Denis Cesar Reina Hernández is here with us along with the seven Jamaican students, as the descendant of Cubans needed this chance and applied for it.

At the end, they were successful because they have proven to meet the necessary requirements. Their respective parents must be very happy and proud! Congratulations.

Since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution

Since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, our people undertook their project of freedom, solidarity and social justice. The profound economic, political and social changes undertaken, paved the way for the eradication of structural injustices inherited from the colonial and neo-colonial domination that Cuba suffered.

Cuba is today a stable country, with a united, educated and healthy people and has been able to continue its path of social achievements. More than a million university graduates, accounting for 11.1 percent of the population, and 18.7 percent of the economically active labour force. My country stands out in the region in the percentage of public spending to GDP to be spent on education, 12.9.

Cuba has provided the largest possible number of education professionals with access to the Internet, for the purpose of their own preparation. Some 26,650 teachers will be able to access the Internet from their schools by May, 2016, to support research and academic work. By 2017, the ministry expects to have all middle schools, day-care centers and special education centers to be connected, in a process set to conclude with elementary schools in 2018.

Cuba has also offered and continues to offer cooperation, mainly in the fields of health and education, in countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Not only Cuban teachers have rendered their services in many developing countries, but also many students from those countries have studied and graduated, free of charge, in Cuban universities.

Cuba will keep cooperating with the countries of the Caribbean Community

In this regional context, I am pleased to reaffirm that Cuba will keep cooperating with the countries of the Caribbean Community in areas such as health, development of human resources, construction and sports, which has effectively contributed to the growth of wellbeing of our peoples.

Since 1959, the Cuban people have been striving for a better world where justice prevails and the rights of people are upheld in choosing their own destiny and path to development.

There are currently 65,000 Cuban collaborators working in 89 countries, especially in the spheres of medicine and education. 68,000 professionals and technicians from 157 countries have graduated from the island, 30,000 of which in the field of health.

These scholarships were offered under the Cuba – Jamaica Programme for the academic year 2015-2016. By so doing, the relevant Cuban institutions kept that programme ongoing in spite of Cuba´s current economic challenges caused basically by the impact of the continuation of the unjust and more than five-decade US blockade, which in spite of the new policy that President Obama has opened toward our country, continues to be applied in full force against the island.

Cooperation ties between Cuba and Jamaica

Cooperation ties between Cuba and Jamaica continue strengthening in different fields. Until last year, a total of 556 students have graduated in Cuba in different specialities.

Just in July, 2014 were graduated from Jamaica in Cuba a total of 15 students from Medical Sciences, 2 from Physical Education and Sports, 5 from specialties of the Ministry of Higher Education (Chemistry, Biomedical, Accounting, Civil Engineering and Psychology) and 1 from the Ministry of Education (Degree in Biology and Chemistry). At present, Jamaica has two students studying self-financed medical career.

At the end of 2014, 88 young Jamaicans were studying in Cuba; 79 out of them in careers in Medicine and the rest in others fields, including Sports and Physical Education.

On the other hand, in Jamaica, over 146 Cubans are presently providing their services in several bilateral cooperation programs, especially in health (94) and educational fields (47). Historically, since the start of Operation Miracle with Jamaica, 8290 surgeries have been performed, first in Cuba and since 2010 in Kingston; 67 619 patients have been attended.

An opportunity to master a new language

The Jamaican scholarship awardees present in this ceremony will be able to master a new language: Spanish. They will also be able to get to know the Cuban people and see our achievements and challenges.

You will have the opportunity to share with other young students from more than 30 countries, each of them with their own characteristics, traditions and cultures. You should learn to love one another despite differences.

To you, dear students, I’d like to say we do hope that, after completing your studies in Cuba, you will return to Jamaica ready to make a useful contribution to your beloved country’s development and to the well-being of Jamaicans, especially those who are the most needed. I join others in commending you and your parents and hope neither of you, students, will let us down!

In closing, I´d like to thank all those Jamaican institutions and organizations that have supported the Embassy in this important process, especially the representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and the Public Service (Scholarship and Assistance Unit) and the Jamaica-Cuba Friendship Association for their invaluable and devoted cooperation.

Let´s continue working together so that the longstanding friendship between Jamaica and Cuba continues to be strengthened in the coming months and years! I thank you.